The present relates generally to treadmill systems, and more particularly to a treadmill system for mammals, such as canines. The treadmill system provides a multi-functional and upgradable treadmill system having modularity, ease-of-use, ease of cleaning and maintenance, hot-swapping of parts at time of repair, and the ability to upgrade to a full hydrotherapy treatment system (combination of treadmill and lap pool). In addition, the multi-functional treadmill system provides the flexibility of providing physical therapy simultaneously to more than one mammal at a time. Also, the multi-functional treadmill system reduces the expense, effort, and space required to maintain and operate a treadmill system for therapy in water and outside of the water.
Treadmill systems are currently available in veterinary facilities and canine rehabilitation centers throughout the world. Veterinary educators and veterinarians in the mainstream have come to appreciate the need for physical therapy for their postoperative patients and their patients with progressive orthopedic and neurological conditions.
Pet owners now view their animals as members of the family, and have come to expect the same high quality food, services, and health care. Pet owners also purchase pet health insurance in increasing numbers to cover services that they otherwise might not be able to afford. This often includes surgeries to correct health ailments as well as veterinary rehabilitation services. Many pet owners seek out veterinary rehabilitation on their own initiative and then request a referral from their veterinarian. Most veterinarians now recognize the importance of veterinary rehabilitation to significantly increase the success rate of veterinary surgeries. Owners are also seeking rehabilitation for their pets which have developed neurological or other progressive conditions where surgery is not an option in order to increase their pet's useful life. Pets are now living longer and consequently their quality of life is becoming increasingly important to their families.
Veterinary rehabilitation is still a relatively new area of veterinary medicine. Underwater treadmill therapy has benefited human patients for almost two decades. This therapy has quickly gained acceptance for canine patients since its first use in 1998. Underwater treadmill systems are now available in veterinarian's offices, veterinary hospitals, and veterinary rehabilitation facilities throughout the world. In these facilities, underwater treadmill systems have become the rehabilitation equipment of choice, and sooner or later, is a major purchase of every canine rehabilitation center and veterinary college program.
A number of underwater treadmill systems are on the market today, for humans as well as for dogs. A minimum specification for an underwater treadmill system would include a tank with sufficient glass to allow viewing of the patient's legs, and which holds water that has been heated to a specific temperature. A motorized treadmill sits inside the tank. The system usually includes filtering equipment. The patient is directed into the tank where the therapist(s) administer treatment.
Many of the systems currently on the market share, a similar design; they utilize a “walk-in” exercise tank. These tanks are certainly easy for entry and exit of the dog, but obviously require that the tank be empty before the tank door can be opened. As a result, water must be pumped in after the dog enters the tank and the tank door is closed behind him. Similarly on exit of the dog, water must be pumped out completely before the tank door can be opened. These systems are metal (usually stainless steel) and have one or two tank doors which have adequate seals to prevent water leakage. Once the dog is inside the tank, the door is closed and water is pumped in from a secondary liquid tank into the treatment tank to the optimal level for the aquatic treatment. When the treatment is completed, the water is pumped out of the tank and back into the secondary liquid tank. Some water filtration and hair removal are performed in conjunction with the pumping of water. Note that this walk-in design is also present in human underwater treadmill systems as well as in “premier” accessible bathtubs for the elderly and disabled, although the accessible baths do not utilize a secondary liquid tank.
There are several disadvantages of the walk-in design. It contains water pipes, pumps, and a secondary liquid tank capable of holding 300 to 500 gallons of water. This adds cost to the system and increases the overall footprint. It also adds an eight to twelve minute delay to every patient treatment, where treatment times typically range from 20 to 30 minutes long. This translates directly to a lower rate of return on investment. And, from the therapist's perspective, when he or she has to assist a small dog's legs during therapy, the ergonomics are very poor.
Another significant concern to owners of underwater treadmill systems is the ease of cleaning and maintenance. Walk-in tanks have the treadmill located at the bottom of the tank. With the earliest walk-in systems on the market, cleaning the treadmill as well as the bottom of the tank was extremely difficult, requiring a winch located above the tank to lift and position the treadmill on an angle while it still remained inside the tank. As a result, the ergonomics of cleaning the treadmill and tank bottom were very poor. More recent models of the walk-in tanks provide mechanisms to tilt the treadmill more readily while still inside the tank, but the ergonomics of cleaning and maintenance are still poor. These systems by their nature are prone to collect dog hair, dog treats, dirt, and other undesirable materials. Failure to clean and maintain these systems frequently and thoroughly will lead to early system breakdown.
Owners of existing underwater treadmill systems report that support calls and repairs vary depending on vendor and the age of the unit. For example, some of the systems have hydraulically driven treadmills with out-of-water motors which can be problematic. Because these systems are tightly bundled, troubleshooting and repairs usually require site visits by a technician in addition to waiting for delivery of parts. The down-time involved is significant. Owners report that it is not unusual to have days to weeks of down-time.
The prior art treadmill systems suffer from a couple of disadvantages. Specifically, the prior art does not allow for a treadmill system which is multi-functional and upgradable. In addition, the prior art does not allow for a treadmill system Which provides the flexibility of providing physical therapy simultaneously to more than one mammal at a time. Also, the treadmill systems of the prior art are not modular which increases the expense, effort, and space required to maintain and operate a treadmill system for therapy in water and outside of the water. Further, the prior art does not disclose a treadmill system which is upgradable to a complete hydrotherapy treatment system.